Al Roker wanted for Joe Biden Cabinet

Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday offered surprise on-air birthday wishes to “Today” show co-host Al Roker — and even offered to help him get a gig in the White House in the future.

As part of Roker’s 60th birthday celebration, NBC’s “Today” arranged for a surprise video appearance from Biden, who was in Washington. Roker and the vice president have a friendly relationship, and the longtime TV anchorman and meteorologist has offered Biden the opportunity to co-host the show on many occasions.

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“Before I come on and be a co-host, I want to appoint you to head up [the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration], and then we’ll work that out after I’m out of this job, or whatever job I’m in next,” Biden said with a smile, an apparent reference to a potential future run for the White House.

“Absolutely, man,” Biden replied. “Look, if I were running the administration or the next one, I’d have you in it. I mean, what the hell?”

“Well, I think that’s a reason for you to run right there,” Roker responded.

Biden, who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for president in 1988 and 2008, has openly flirted with a potential 2016 bid, though preliminary polls show him trailing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by a large margin. Neither Biden nor Clinton has made a definitive public decision on a presidential run.

Roker seemed genuinely surprised and touched by Biden’s appearance on the show, and he thanked the vice president and former senator many times for his birthday wishes.

For his part, Biden offered high praise for the longtime TV host and weatherman. “The reason why people like you so much is that they trust you,” he told Roker. “Everybody I know — they trust you. The viewers trust you. And that’s a commodity, man — you bank it.”

Biden later promised that he would try to co-host “Today” at some point in the future.